This is a lesson I prepared for a Sunday School class series on Encounters with Jesus in the Book of John during the Fall of 2025. The lessons are meant to be a mix of teaching and interactive discussion in the group. This is an outline of my presentation that guided the teaching and discussion.
View Encounters with Jesus Lesson Series
John 21:1-23
John 21:1-14
- Introduction reading to see the state of Peter’s heart.
- Why were they fishing?
- Were they waiting around for Jesus to appear to them again for the third time? Were they aimless and without purpose? Were they just waiting for the next experience of Jesus revealing himself? Just getting on with life?
- Peter’s personality is one that tends toward the extreme.
- John recognizes that it is Jesus, but it is Peter who abandons everything in the spur of the moment to go and be with Jesus > ASAP.
- Jesus asks them to bring some of the fish. Peter goes and brings all the fish.
Question
– Peter is full of passion. What is one thing you can take away from this section and apply to your daily life and walk with Christ?
John 21:15-19
- Peter denied Jesus three times and Jesus here is recommissioning him by having him reaffirm his love three times.
- “Do you love me more than these?”
- The question is does Peter love Jesus more than these other disciples or even the fish and his profession.
- Jesus questions Peter’s love for Jesus
- Jesus asks agape, Peter answers phileo.
- Jesus asks agape, Peter answers phileo.
- Jesus asks phileo, Peter answers phileo.
- Agape Verses Phileo
The Bible uses the Greek words agape and phileo to describe different types of love. Agape love is unconditional, selfless, and sacrificial, as demonstrated by God’s love for humanity. Phileo love, on the other hand, is characterized by mutual affection, trust, and camaraderie, often seen in friendships or brotherly love. - There is discussion around the importance of these Greek words being different and the meaning we can get from them.
- Regardless, Jesus is getting at the heart of Peter in this exchange.
- Peter does not go for the extreme by declaring his agape love for Jesus.
- This is personal growth for Peter. He acknowledges that his love for Christ is phileo. Maybe he even understands that he has proven that his love is not agape.
- Jesus does not discount Peter’s use of phileo. Rather, he meets Peter where he is at the moment and recommissions him with phileo.
- What is the commission? “Feed my lambs”.
- Jesus as the True Shepherd appoints Peter and the disciples to be subordinate shepherds.
- Peter will demonstrate his love for Jesus by loving God’s people and feeding them with his Word.
Question
- How has Jesus met you where you were at a specific time of life?
John 21:20-23
- “What about this man?” (v 21)
- Even after sitting by the fire and having an intimate meal with Jesus. Even after a personal commissioning and calling to shepherd the flock of Jesus…
- Peter was still concerned about where he ranked in the hierarchy of the disciples.
- It had to be a challenge for the other disciples to know that John was the disciple that Jesus loved.
- Think about that for a second. It must have been so well known that John himself had no problem using the title for himself.
Question
In what ways do we find ourselves comparing our calling and/or relationship with Jesus against those in the community?
- Group prayer
- God blessing someone financially
- Gift envy